JotCast | Ben Clemens FanGraphs Chat

Ben Clemens FanGraphs Chat - 12/21/20

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Ben Clemens

3:08

Even Pat Venditte is semi-ambidextrous

Arenado

3:08

Isn't it good if I opt out? My contract is pretty heavily under water. Rockies are going to have to pay someone to take me off their hands. If I opt out the team got paid for one great year!

Ben Clemens

3:09

It is, but that confusion just adds to things. Not knowing is the worst, because if you assume he'll opt out, it's trading for a rental, and the Rockies might not be into that. If Arenado is definitely going to opt out and he and a team agree to that, well, what are you offering for a year of Arenado at 35 per? and would the Rockies take that? It's a confusing one

200 Pitches

3:09

If there was an ambidextrous starter he could just throw CG every time out. 100 pitches with the right arm, 100 pitches with the left. Could even alternate it more to give each arm some rest. Or start a game one day with the right, next day with the left. 2 starters for the price of 1!! Fun to think about, but like you said not gonna happen

Isolated Thinker

3:09

Kluber is expected to throw for teams in early January. Considering his massive upside, can you see a bidding war on the one-year gamble?

Ben Clemens

3:09

Yes!

3:10

You might see a wildly incentive-laden deal that could pay him $25 million if he hits a bunch of hard-to-reach milestones, or a vesting deal for 2022, or something like htat. The upside is just so huge

Mick

3:10

I’m curious what your thoughts are on Luis Roberts and whether he can make adjustments to fix his contact issues given the WSox hitting coach was also his instructor on the minors.

Ben Clemens

3:11

I think that Robert's aggressiveness at the plate is going to put a cap on his offensive production, but that he's good enough that he can still be a star with below-average plate discipline. I don't thikn it's contact issues, per se -- I think his problem is more that he swings at so much stuff that he's swinging at some bad pitches to hit

Now, that's a bad issue to have, too!

3:12

But this seems like a case where even if he remains free-swinging and makes some poor swing decisions, he could rein in the aggression a little bit

And just automatically improve his contact numbers, even if he still swings at too many balls

3:13

If you'll excuse my Cardinals homer-ism, look at Paul DeJong. His contact rates ticked up in '18 and '19 as he just started swinging less

Tacoby Bellsbury

3:13

If you instead wrote for FanGrafts, what player's body part would you graft onto another player to create a mechaplayer? Why?

Ben Clemens

3:13

I think I'd put Billy Hamilton's legs on Jarrod Dyson's arms and create a four-legged uncatchable pinch runner

3:14

You'd have to teach Dyson to gallop, but small price to pay for a guaranteed steal

Ross

3:15

Why are the Cardinals attempting to sign a soon-to-be 39 year old catcher who has statistically declined for at least three seasons at the plate? Legacy contracts haven’t treated the team well in the outfield or infield with Carpenter or Fowler.

Ben Clemens

3:15

They'd do it because people love Yadi!

I'm honestly with you on this one, but I know plenty of Cards fan friends who want him back no matter what

3:16

I think my specific issue with bringing him back is just that he demands so much playing time, but I totally admit that I like having him on the team

3:17

I think I'm in favor of ripping the Band-aid off and seeing what Knizner can do next year, but I also thought Yadi would be retiring this offseason

Inaccessible Rail

3:17

It used to be a fun challenge to participate in Fangraphs chats while working, but working remotely as I am these days, has taken all the sport out of it.

Ben Clemens

3:17

As a former lurker/sometimes question asker, I totally agree

I also miss coming up with pun-based names

Bookie Metts

3:18

What is your hottest hot take about the 2021 season?

Ben Clemens

3:18

Hm. How about this: Yu Darvish will be worth as much WAR as Trevor Bauer and Luis Castillo combined

3:19

Certainly not likely but I'm just veyr high on Darvish

Johnny5Alive

3:19

If you were Springer, assuming salary is the same, do you want to play in Toronto or New York? Do you want to play with the young studs or behind the best pitcher in baseball and the richest owner?

Ben Clemens

3:19

Personally I'd take NY, because I lived there for 11 years

3:20

As Springer.... I think it would depend on where I wanted to live more than the roster construction. Both teams are gonna be good or good-adjacent for years to come

Sam

3:20

When do you expect a big trade like the Lindor one to occur?

Ben Clemens

3:20

Not until the terms of the 2021 season are set

3:21

So.... midi-January maybe?

Jason N

3:22

Is Luis Castillo on the market to bring back high-end prospects, or to accompany a bad contract? What’s the difference in prospects in each scenario? If the Padres are a trade partner, I imagine if it’s just Castillo it’s Gore+, but if a contract is coming back, then who’s the headliner and package look like?

Ben Clemens

3:22

I.... guess? I don't see the Reds as having many bad contracts, just a lot of low-surplus ones

3:23

Like short of trading Votto, I don't think Moustakas is wildly underwater or anything

And if that's the case, then sending those contracts out won't *decrease* the return, it just might not add much

Alby

3:23

New Christmas tradition: Standing in line at the post office waiting to mail out everyone's presents.

GoMs

3:24

”short and sweet”... just like most holiday plans... but never seems to work out like that!

Ben Clemens

3:24

Touche

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